CIA.GOV DOCUMENTS ADDED THANKS TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
Many folks are unaware that ever since the Freedom of Information Act was passed we now have the power to request information from the US Government.
The Freedom of Information Act, often called the FOIA for short, is like a special law that helps people like you and me get information from the government. Imagine the government has a big treasure chest of information, like documents, records, and emails, and we want to see what’s inside that chest.
The FOIA is like a key that allows us to ask the government to open that treasure chest and share some of the information with us. But there are some rules. The government can’t share everything; they have to keep some things secret to protect important stuff like national security or personal privacy.
So, when we want to know something from the government, we write them a letter or make a request, like asking for a report about space exploration or how much money a government department spent on a project. The government then has to decide if it’s okay to share that information with us or if it needs to keep it a secret for a good reason.
The Freedom of Information Act helps make sure that we can learn more about what our government is doing and keep it accountable, but it also respects the need for some secrets to be kept to keep us safe.
STARGATE PROGRAM
This is possibly the most interesting collection from the reading room on the CIA website. It is a collection of declassified documents detailing the events that took place during the Stargate program(yes, it’s a real thing, but not quite like the movie).
The Stargate Program was a real-life top-secret initiative conducted by the United States government, primarily through various intelligence agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). It aimed to investigate and research the potential use of psychic phenomena, particularly remote viewing, for military and intelligence purposes. Here’s a simplified explanation:
- Remote Viewing: At the core of the Stargate Program was a technique called remote viewing. Remote viewing is the claimed ability to see or gather information about distant or unseen targets using extrasensory perception (ESP) or psychic abilities. In other words, it involved individuals attempting to mentally “see” or gain insights about people, places, or events without being physically present.
- Military and Intelligence Applications: The U.S. government explored the use of remote viewing for various military and intelligence purposes. They hoped that trained remote viewers could assist in tasks like locating hidden military facilities, gathering intelligence on foreign adversaries, or even predicting future events.
- Creation of Remote Viewing Teams: The Stargate Program assembled a group of individuals with supposed psychic abilities who were trained in remote viewing techniques. These individuals, known as “remote viewers,” underwent rigorous training to hone their skills.
- Declassification: The Stargate Program was highly classified and kept secret for many years. However, it eventually became public knowledge. In the 1990s, the program was declassified, and some of its documents and findings were released to the public.
- Controversy and Skepticism: The Stargate Program and remote viewing remain controversial and the subject of skepticism. Many scientists and skeptics argue that there is no scientific evidence to support the existence of psychic abilities like remote viewing, while proponents claim that there were instances of success within the program.
- Closure: The Stargate Program was officially terminated in 1995, partly due to budgetary concerns and skepticism about its effectiveness. The declassified records are now available for public review.
In a nutshell, the Stargate Program was a real but secretive U.S. government initiative that explored the use of psychic phenomena, particularly remote viewing, for military and intelligence purposes. It remains a topic of interest and debate in the realms of both paranormal and military history. See for yourself by clicking the button below!
